Bloomberg, FEMA, FCC Detail NYC Emergency Notification System

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly discussing the Personal Localized Alert Network (PLAN), with the new One World Trade Center rising in the background.

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announcing the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN) with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski (third from left), public safety officials, and members of New York's congressional delegation, on May 10, 2011.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.

AT&T CEO Randall L. Stephenson.

The site where 1 World Trade Center, also known as the North Tower, once stood, will be one of two memorial pools with the largest man made waterfalls in the country.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Office of Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph F. Bruno with members of the New York City Community Response Team (CERT), a volunteer organization that helps prepare communities for different types of emergencies.

NEW YORK — Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled the nation’s first comprehensive, geographically targeted emergency notification system for cellphones on Tuesday, declaring the launch to be a “quantum leap forward in using technology to help keep people safe.”

Flanked by federal officials, members of New York’s congressional delegation, the city’s top law-enforcement officials, and top executives from the nation’s largest wireless companies, Bloomberg detailed the Personal Localized Alerting Network (PLAN) at a press conference overlooking ground zero of the 9/11 attacks nearly a decade ago.

PLAN is a free service that will send geographically-targeted, emergency text alerts to enabled mobile devices, alerting citizens of “imminent threats to safety” in their area. The service will be rolled out in New York City by the end of 2011 — at least two quarters, the Mayor emphasized, before the rest of the nation.

The new service represents one of the most ambitious public-safety initiatives since 9/11 and is the product of a joint public-private partnership between New York, FEMA, the FCC and the nation’s wireless companies. With four months to go before the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, federal, state and local officials are working to implement next-generation emergency communications services, as well as to build the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and the World Trade Center Memorial.

Bloomberg announced PLAN on a brilliantly clear day in Manhattan, standing in front of One World Trade Center, which construction crews are working to build.

“In both the public and private sectors, I’ve always believed in the need to harness technology in new ways, including ways that its designers hadn’t anticipated,” Bloomberg said. “The City’s opt-in Notify NYC system is a great example of that: It alerts people to dangers and delays via e-mail, text and phone, and it has become a national model of emergency communication.”

“But given the kinds of threats made against New York City at the World Trade Center, Times Square and other places popular with visitors and tourists, we’ll be even safer when authorities can broadcast warnings to everyone in a geographic area regardless of where they came from or bought their phone,” Bloomberg said.

PLAN runs on existing wireless networks but only a handful of the newest mobile phones are currently compatible, Bloomberg said, and they require a software download. The assembled wireless-company executives, including AT&T CEO Randall L. Stephenson and Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg, pledged their support for the system and said new devices will be equipped with a PLAN chip.

Once operational, citizens will receive three types of alerts from the system: alerts issued by the President of the United States, alerts involving “imminent threats to safety of life,” and Amber Alerts, which are designed to help find missing children. About 90 percent of New Yorkers who have a PLAN-capable mobile device will be able to receive alerts from the system, also known as the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS), by the end of 2011.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, a native of Great Neck, New York, praised Bloomberg and thanked the wireless executives for their participation. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint will all support the service.

“Communications technology — and in particular mobile broadband — has the potential to revolutionize emergency response,” Genachowski said. “Our communications networks need to be reliable and resilient in times of emergency. The FCC is working with carriers to ensure that they are.”

Genachowski said the PLAN system will have the ability to override existing network traffic in times of emergency to ensure that critical alerts reach citizens. “Think of it like an HOV lane on the highway for emergency alerts,” he said, adding that a list of compatible phones would be posted soon on the FCC’s website.

Officials didn’t go into detail about the technical specifications of the new network. But there are hardware and software requirements needed in order to facilitate a secure, virtual “fast lane” during a real emergency.

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate pointed to the recent catastrophic tornadoes in the Southeast as events where the system could have played a key role in alerting citizens of the imminent danger.

“This new technology could become a lifeline for millions of Americans and is another tool that will strengthen our nation’s resilience against all hazards,” Fugate said.

New York City faces unique threats. Al-Qaida, and copycats, have repeatedly attempted to attack New York City and were successful in two cases: the World Trade Center bombing of 1993 and the 9/11 attacks. In the decade since 9/11 the authorities have foiled over a dozen other plots, including attempts to blow up subway tunnels and Times Square, arguably the most heavily visited tourist attraction in the world.

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said his department prefers to stop threats before they happen, but said the new system will play a key role in alerting citizens to emergencies in progress.

“When a catastrophe is the product of terrorism or other man-made evil, the NYPD’s goal is to stop it before it happens,” Kelly said. “We prefer to be emergency preventers than emergency responders. But, obviously, we must be prepared to do both. This new alert system is a welcome addition to our arsenal of readiness.”

Because PLAN can target emergency alerts to specific geographical areas, the system will be useful in alerting citizens to stay out of a particular area in the event of an emergency, so that first responders can work as quickly and efficiently as possible, said New York City Fire Commissioner Salvatore J. Cassano.

“If we have a major hazmat incident or other large-scale situation, this tool will help us make sure that people in the immediate vicinity of the incident have the information they need to stay safe and stay away from the area,” Cassano said. “In many cases, it’s just as important for the public to know what not to do, as it is to know what to do. These PLAN alerts will keep the public informed, and keep our members focused on the task at hand.”

During the press conference, Bloomberg was asked whether the city would be offering any incentives for people to use the PLAN service.

“Yes, to save your life,” the Mayor replied. “That’s the incentive. You have to take some responsibility. We’re not going to pay you to save your own life. It’s just something you should do.”